


Life sprinkled with pain and magic

by captain_0bvious



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: Depression, Hella lotta booze, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kinda Self Insert, M/M, Maybe explicit sexual content, Mild Sexual Content, Mostly Canon Compliant, Multi, Physical Kids Cottage (The Magicians), Self-Harm, Starts from season 1, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, vent fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:13:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25934212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captain_0bvious/pseuds/captain_0bvious
Summary: (as if i don't have enough fics)So, we get 2 depressed nerds for the price of one. One has dealt with his through medication and institutions, the other has soldiered on through it all. The pain they feel fueling their magic, uh, and thats it, basically same as show with extra depression sprinkled on like delicious pain
Relationships: Queliot - Relationship, Quentin Coldwater & Julia Wicker, Quentin Coldwater & Margo Hanson & Eliot Waugh, Quentin Coldwater/Eliot Waugh
Comments: 3
Kudos: 2





	1. Welcome to Brakebills!

The toilet flushing was the only sound in the silent, dark house. Soft footprints padding back down the hall, the only sound of life in the cold apartment. A flash of light as the occupant entered her bedroom, blinking at the sudden light, before squinting and looking around. Finally she accepts it, and just continues, shrinking more into her oversized hoodie and sweatpants. She followed the signs pointing towards some sort of exam.

Entering the exam room she sighed and sat at a seat, accepting her fate, listening to the instructions before starting the test. Thats when the confusion struck, the test kept changing every few seconds. looking around she saw no one else struggling, so with a shrug she got to answering, concentrating till each one got answered. When it was done, she got her assigned room and stood infront of a table of 5 people.

"This is your chance to prove yourself Ashlin Redyan. Showcase your talent. Do some magic!"  
  


She gave the clearly disillusioned Dean a deadpan look.

  
"Yea, right, magic is real. And I'm a unicorn. Look, pal. Whoever you are, funny, but I know better now, magic isn't real, there's no such thing as magic..."

  
She seemed to shrink more into herself as she said it, sounding smaller, she didn't notice it, but the assessors did, the other objects in the room shrank with her, the lighting darkening as her mood darkened. With an inward smirk, the Dean stood, knowing he would have to push her just like he has had to with others, including the previous student.   
  


"Yes there is, and you know it. So, unless you want to be _boring and dull_ for the rest of your pitiful life, DO SOMETHING!!"

  
"I CAN'T THERE ISN'T ANYTHING I CAN DO SO SHUT UP!!"

To her shock, he did just that, a gag covered his mouth that had suddenly sewn itself shut, and when he tried mumbling he couldn't make a sound. Frightened at what she did, she bolted, what she did undoing itself as she does, running almost instantly into two men she noticed in the exam room, muttering apologies she stood, helped them up and bolted the opposite direction.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
Penny frowned at the girl who ran off. Her wards were so air tight it felt like running into a mental brick wall, a welcome relief from the ball of anxiety and darkness standing next to him. Something felt off though, just by the way she was dressed, and he could swear a dark cloud followed her, peering into the room she darted out of, he saw nothing out of the ordinary, but never-the-less he knew instinctively something was off. With a shake of his head to remove a faint buzzing in his mind, he left. Leaving Anxiety boy wonder to stand there like a moron.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She finally stopped just outside a cottage, panting in the shade of some nearby trees. Utterly lost. Completely unaware of a tall male watching her from the door leading to the patio, smoking with a glass of some sort of cocktail in his hand.

  
"Well, you look like you need this more than I do." 

  
With a start she jumps, and the man ducks a sudden sheathe of dark energy shot at him, as he raised his hands in surrender, gently floating the drink over to her until it was within reach. Eyeing it warily, she glanced at him before snatching it out of the air, and gulping it so fast even he was surprised, as she inched out and held it out for more, which he took and made it speaking as he did.

  
"That was impressive, and I don't say that lightly, not when it comes to drinking. I'm Eliot by the way, and you are?" He holds out the freshly made drink, and sips his own with a raised eyebrow, glancing over what she was wearing.

"Uh, Ashlin Redyan, but thank you, I needed it. Where am I?" She takes a huge gulp, shrinking under his gaze.

Upon realising it, he removed it, glancing at her before sitting and offering her a seat, which she gratefully took. "You are at Brakebills, a University for those magically inclined, yes, magic is real, which, judging by how you act, you at least suspected. Anyway, more precisely, you are at the physical kids cottage, us who are telekinetic, such as I, or otherwise physically magical. As you just arrived you may not know your discipline yet. And the way you appeared out of breath, I assume you ran here, so you don't even know if you officially made it in, so how about we finish these, and I take you back to the Dean?"

  
She nods hesitantly, slugging it back, silently asking for another. He shook his head, instead offering a flask, explaining it never empties, raising an eyebrow as she took it and took several long swigs, licking her lips and handing it back when she was done. He could tell it helped, as she seemed clearer, it was, intriguing to say the least.

They stood, and he escorted her back to the Deans office, knocking when it was clear she didn't want to, and left once she entered.

"Thank Mr Waugh for me later, but for now Miss Redyan, take a seat, while we discuss your stay here."

Hesitantly, she took a seat staring pointedly at her hands.

"Oh calm down, you aren't in trouble for using a bit of magic against me. You aren't the first student, won't be the last. You've been accepted, you may go back to your home and pack a bag and return to the dorms, a second year shall accompany you, maybe young Eliot Waugh, the one who escorted you here, bring him here and I shall do the portal for you two."

  
With a nod, she stood, and walked out to the corridor, jumping as Eliot practically fell on her, "Oops, busted? Well at least it can be done fast?"

Dean Fogg let out a long suffering sigh, but summoned forth a portal, and watched the two step through. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quickly turning on the lights, Ash cleaned up part of the mess before throwing her clothes and books into various bags, starting to pack up her electronics before Eliot piped up from looking at her alcoholic bottles. 

  
"You may as well leave those here, Magic interferes with technology, unfortunately, well, mostly, you are more than welcome to try though. Anything else, or is this it?"

"Just a bit more and I'm done."

Not waiting to see his reaction, she took some clothes and a bag into the bathroom and got dressed, packing her razor blades and knives, as well as first aid kit and other toiletry essentials, redressing her latest wound, before going back out to the room, and nodding, collecting some bags and allowing Eliot to float the rest through, both of them following Foggs instructions to Her room, where she saw a blonde with glasses as her room mate. Eliot helped her unpack, and then offered to make her more drinks, which she instantly accepted, not even acknowledging her room mate who was also already ignoring her, with a shrug she left, grabbing one of her books just in case.

Back at the Cottage, she met who was clearly Eliot's, ('El, please, I can tell we are going to be friends already!') best friend, Margo, who he affectionately calls 'Bambi.' He excitedly introduced the two of them, watching as the two sized each other up, Ash immediately straightening up under Margo's harsh gaze, blanking completely into her resting face, her body language screaming top bitch, both vying for it, until...

  
"Okay, okay, enough, wow, enough tension to kill a cow. Okay ladies, relax and have a drink." Eliot offers them both one as they sit, any scepticism Margo held towards Ash Vanished when she saw how fast the girls drink vanished. It didn't take long for the three of them to bond over drinks, Ash even performing some magic as she got more relaxed, the dark clouds that had approached instantly vanishing, and the atmosphere of the patio itself lightening the more carefree she became, little bubbles even appearing, finally the two offered to show her around, as well as the male she bumped into earlier, who held out his hand in introduction.

  
"Hi, I'm Quentin Coldwater, Q to my friends."

  
Taking it she shook it, introducing herself as well, "Ashlin Redyan, Ash to my friends, apologies for bumping into you, my, uh, magic, shocked me."

"You're telling me! I passed out when I discovered I could do magic! It's amazing, isn't it?" It was cute, how excited he became, like a little puppy, and she offered him a little smile.

  
"One word for it, I've always been told magic isn't real, excessively, so, I never believed it..."

"Okay, as nice and fun as this conversation is, we have a tour to do, so, lets get to it." With that Margo turned and led the way, Eliot staying with the first years mouthing an apology, frowning as Ash shrinks down, glancing to Quentin who had also noticed, before heading onto the tour, which went fast enough. Quentin staying with Margo and Eliot for a bit longer, while Ash settled below a tree with her book, instantly settled and transported.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few hours later and she was dragged out of her book by someone tripping over her. 

"Oi! Dumbass! Watch where you fucking walk!"

"What the hell do you mean? You weren't there five seconds ago! Hold on, you are the girl who ran into me earlier."

She finally looks up after carefully examining her book, jaw dropping at her awful luck. 

"You, again? Jesus, just shoo, Jackass."

"Okay, first off, my name is Penny, no need to make up names, second, seriously, show up where you are."

Rolling her eyes, she got up and walked back to her room, with a whatever air around her, lying in bed for hours and reading, only putting out her light when Alice, her room mate complained and turned off her light for her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She went to class, sitting in the back, seeming to fade away, only noticed by Quentin and Penny, before they settled in to start learning poppers and the basic spells and tuts to accompany them. Her frustration soon started showing as she couldn't quite get the positioning right, Penny was the first to notice, feeling spikes of anger and frustration from someone he'd never heard of before, looking to the corner Ash had squished herself in, frowning at the dark aura around her, catching whispers as her tight walls crumbled.

_Son of a bitch! Why is this so hard? Why can't I- FUCK!!!_

"Just a reminder nobody gets this right first time, so don't worry if you can't get it right the first few lessons. Alice come up here and help me demonstrate please."

A blonde girl with glasses and a modest dress got up and went to the front of the class, perfectly performing the tuts. Polite applause broke out, shattered by a muttered curse and the slam of a chair. Penny and Quentin shot their heads to the sound, Penny giving a subtle flinch, the rest of the class whipping their head to it, as with a scowl Ash stood packed up her books and left, slamming the door behind her. The roar of her anger echoing in his mind.

_Of course I get a perfect roommate. Fucking typical, she's an uptight snob who is little Miss Perfect. I'll never fucking catch up and I'll get expelled, and- No! I will, I can't fail this! I will get over this shit and stop being useless. FUCK!!! Why did I storm out and make a scene, DAMN IT! Can't control anything, not even my emotions... Wait, someone is.. STOP SNOOPING!!!_

With a snap, her stream of consciousness snapped closed, the force of it causing Penny's nose to bleed, which caught the teachers attention who had begun to speak.

"Don't mind her, there is one in every class, she'll be back next class, Penny, you're bleeding, are you okay?"

"Uh, yea, just, uh," for once he was lost for words, pointing to his head silently, which the teacher understood. 

"Right, just, go to the infirmary," Penny nodded, reeling from the force of the slam, getting up and stumbling, the flow increasing as he stood. "Damn it, Quentin, accompany him, take your bags, and study up, someone tell that to Miss Redyan if you come across her, once she's cooled down, same time tomorrow, class dismissed, if you have questions come ask."

Quentin and Penny made their way to the infirmary, the chaos of Quentins mind not helping Penny. Both were surprised to see Ash there sitting on a bed half dazed, a jagged gash on her arm getting cleaned up, Penny got helped to a bed, where Lipson told him she'd be there soon.

"Remind me Miss Redyan how you got this?" She asked, checking it was cleaned.

"I tripped leaving class and it slid along a sharp piece of metal crudely."

Penny shuddered, the roughness of the lie rattling his brain, and causing his nose to bleed again. Watching as her arm got stitched and bandaged, before she was ordered to stay to recover for a few hours.

  
"Alright Penny, let's have a look at you."

  
She poked and prodded at him before looking through various lens aimed at him.

  
"Ah, I see, psychic damage, inflicted while snooping and their wards were put back up? Don't answer, I already know what the answer is, Stay until the bleeding stops, the pain is gone, and I see no more evidence of the damage."

Penny sighed and rolled his eyes, turning to look at Ash, before turning his back to her, ignoring both her and Quentin, inwardly giving a sigh of relief when Quentin quietly left.


	2. Chapter 2

Penny had managed to fall asleep in the infirmary, seeming to float through the rest of time, he watched Eliot shamelessly flirt with an oblivious Quentin, while an amused Margo watched on. Next he found himself watching Alice, the blonde show-off from class practising more, because obviously she needed it. Then Time itself seemed to constrict and warp, going back on itself, to Ashlin when she first showcased her magic to the clearly alcoholic Dean, swearing he can see her emotions and locked up memories when she says _"I know better now, magic isn't real, there's no such thing as magic."_ When she showed her magic, he saw something he usually didn't, her Aura explode into pure pain and darkness, making him wonder how he didn't feel it out in the hall. The sound of a ticking clock alerted him to another viewer, someone he'd seen around the school once before, as she stared at him, before winding a pocket watch, and with a lurch he's outside class, just after Ashlin had stormed out, when he could hear her thoughts. In horror he watched with every curse and grimace she waved her arms around, gesturing as if she wanted to hit something, the force of her cursing, and her raw emotions causing a dark blade to manifest and tear her arm to shred. Finally, the woman turned to Penny.

  
"She's powerful. He wants her power. He has been feeding it for years. But, with her power and pain comes destruction. As you have seen, she needs you more than you may ever think Penny. Help her, before it becomes too late. He's changed the game, don't let him control it."

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
Professor Lipson finally gave Ash leave, after removing the bandages and declaring the cut healed. She bolted, first to her room to collect her books from her room, eyes rolling when she saw her roommate studying and practising again, multiple books sprawled over her bed, with a flare of anger, she slammed the door shut as she left, the force of her anger acting like a hurricane, flipping the room upside down, books flying, and causing the spell Alice was working on to go haywire. Sparking and setting the room on fire, which she rapidly put out, cleaning her mess and going to Dean Fogg, after checking the cost was clear.

  
Knocking on the door before gliding in.

  
"Miss Quinn, to what do I owe the pleasure?"  
  
"I want a new roommate, mine is, not going to work."

  
"Sorry, not possible."

  
"Why not possible? We both already know my discipline, Phosphoromancy! That's physical magic! Just, relocate me to the Physical kids cottage!"

"Miss Quinn, that is not how we do things here, and I would appreciate if you didn't demand things. It is only for a few weeks, surely you can put up with Miss Redyan for a short period of time. Now if you dont mind, you can show yourself out."

"But..."

  
  
Fogg stayed silent, paying attention to a stack of papers on his desk, drinking from a glass when Alice left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In an empty classroom Ash started practising what they had been learning earlier. Setting up several glass bottles to gauge her frustration levels. For hours she worked on it, when the last glass bottle shattered she compromised with herself one last attempt, taking a calming breath and trying one last time, grinning madly when she finally managed it. Going to the campus cafe to celebrate, scowling when she sees Alice talking to Quentin. But she can't help but over hear what they are talking, something about bringing Alice's brother back, but how they need a free space. Finishing her drink, she walks over, smirking as they both shut the books on the table. 

  
"Look. I couldn't help but over hear what you two were talking about, look, I just came back from practising in an empty classroom, let me help, and I'll show you to it, I'll even help you get any ingredients."

  
Alice looked at her sceptically, "What do you want in return?"

  
"Your tutelage for magic. I can't do this, and you clearly can, and I don't want to leave when I only just found out it really is real."

  
Thinking it over, Alice nods, and Ash leads the way, Quentin hesitating before following after the two, he recognised the look in Ash's eyes, of course he did, he saw it often in his own eyes, right before he spiralled and covered mirrors. He fiddled with the bandage on his hand as he observed her hunched demeanour, looking to her arm, which was covered by a loose hoodie sleeve, he'd recognised the sort of gash she had too, of course, you don't get suicidal without recognising it.

  
Soon, they were there, and set everything up, after Ash guiltily swept up the glass, Alice bit her lip after reading the stolen spell book, "We need at least one more adept, it says we need at least four... we can't after all..."

  
"Well, it's a good thing we are here then."

  
Everyone shot their heads over to the door, shocked, as Penny and Kady stood in the doorway, grinning as they entered, and all five of them cast the spell, looking curiously towards the mirror, before sitting back disappointed. "Well that worked. Sorry princess, but hey, don't forget our deal."

  
With that, Ash stood and left, cursing under his breath, Penny stood told Kady he'd see her later and followed her, ignoring the puppy following him.

  
"Hey, wait! Ashlin!" He couldn't believe he was doing this.  
  
  


She stopped, back still to him, "what, you need something?"

  
Suppressing a sigh, he softened his tone, "Just, wondering if you are alright, you seem, tense is all."

"Well. Thanks for the concern, but I'm fine!" With that she stalked off, wards tighter than before, before he could think of chasing her, the puppy brushed past him and followed her. _Well done real subtle, does he even know how to do empathy? Clearly not._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quentin caught up to her outside, near where he met Eliot, grabbing her arm where he knew the bandage had been earlier, and before she could react, he pulled up both her sleeves, showing fresh cuts from each failure of the earlier lesson. Both thumbs on long scars that were clearly previous attempts, as he looked at her with an open understanding expression, removing a hand long enough to pull up one of his own sleeves, before gripping her wrists again softly.

  
She looked at him, her scars, his scar, before the ground in shame, shrinking down under his understanding gaze. "Well, you've seen them now, so what are you gonna do? Tell someone? Get me help? Or just ignore it?"

  
He looked at her before pulling both their sleeves down and pulling her into a brief hug, noticing her stiffen and holding her wrists again, "No, I'm going to clean and dress them, we're going to the Cottage, cause I know it has a first aid kit, and thats all, and then we are going to hang out with Eliot until you feel better."

  
She looks up at him then, panic in her eyes, "No! We can't go there! People will see! Please, no!" Against her will, her eyes filled with tears, and the air itself rippled with the force of her emotions, before he had the chance to reassure her, Eliot came up, speaking as he did.

  
"Well, this is cozy, you two need a moment?" Looking smugly between the two before registering the tears and wiping them away, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, noticing her flinch, grabbing her hand instead, looking down as he feels liquid on it, hiding his surprise as he realises its blood. "Well, I'm breaking up this moment, and prescribing drinks for all! Come here Coldwater, Redyan!" He wrapped an arm around both of their shoulders, his fake smile turning genuine in triumph as Ash doesn't flinch this time, and he leads them back to the Cottage, where they and Margo were the only ones in the common room, no party going on due to the hour and some of them being responsible, and the fact he'd sent a message to Margo when he overheard Ash's panic when he'd been seeking his first-year. Todd was also there, but deep in the background, no one aware of him, watching the three walk in, and Eliot, with Ash's hesitant permission, remove her oversized hoodie.

  
"Bambi, where is the first aid kit again?"

"Honestly El, you'd lose your head if it wasn't attached to you," she hands it over, masking the sympathy in her eyes as she stares at the almost shredded arms. Watching as Eliot opens the it and places it on the table, both him and Q grabbing supplies and cleaning the wounds as she flinches.

  
Pain clear on Ash's face, mixing with the shame, as the atmosphere takes on a sharp feel, spikes of literal pain manifesting around them but not touching them. Curious, Todd touches the tip of one, eyes rolling back as he feels a third of everything Ash is currently feeling, the thud of his prone body clear only to Margo, who makes a note to investigate it later, and carefully picks her way to Ash. 

  
"Sweet baby girl, why are are you so hurt? Who hurt you so deeply?" She brushes past Eliot, who is on the couch arm on his lap as he tenderly cleans each wound and bandages them, before sitting on Ash's lap delicately, lifting her chin with a finger, looking deep into her blue-grey eyes and kissing her. The shock of the kiss evaporates the spikes and shame, as with a primal growl she kisses back, pouring all her pain into it, which Margo accepts freely, distracting Ash as the boys repair her arms.

  
Getting into it, she moves her hands to Ash's ample chest, full intentions to check it out, she never gets further than brushing it, as Ash flinches hard enough that an echo of it resonates throughout the room. Quentin and Eliot were glad they were finished as the echo caused deep residual panic even as Margo had gotten off her, hands up in an apologetic matter. "Well that explains some pain right there. I hope the bastard who caused that is long gone."

  
Shaking himself of it, Eliot stood, and mixed four strong drinks and handing them out, and magicking a spell that will make more as needed, his suspicions confirmed when Ash drained her glass so fast she didn't even pause for breath. Silently holding out her glass for another one, which she got. Margo, remembering the sound she heard earlier and excused herself to investigate it. Sighing when she sees Todd, the nosey son of a bitch, seeing a drop of blood on his finger she understands just what those spikes did, eyes wide, she did the tut for the mind meld spell her and El did in their first few weeks of being first years, with the help of a psychic they had a threesome with.   
  
' _El, Todd was here, you know, your wannabe? Looks like he was hiding here and saw everything, before the idiot touched a spike. What should I do with him?'_

_  
'Damn it, hide him somewhere, and wipe his memory of the last few minutes, then come back, and help us with her, I'm not sure this is my area.'_

_  
'And you think this is mine? Christ, do we tell Fogg?'_

_  
'Hell no. You know his favourite saying, magic comes from pain, and clearly she has plenty of it. For now, lets just slip her a sleeping pill?'_

_  
'And your new boytoy?'  
  
_

_'What about him?'_

_  
'Judging by what you saw when you were spying on him, he has at least the self harm, and if he felt anything that we felt, it would have effected him too, speaking of, how you feeling?'_

_  
'I'm fine Bambi, and I think he will be too, her, I'm not sure of, but she's already on her sixth drink, and I didn't exactly make these light.'_ Eliot gives Margo a look, who distracts Ash with a gentle kiss, while Eliot slips a sleeping pill in her glass, topping it up and stirring it so it completely dissolves.

  
It doesn't take her long to finish it, and she falls asleep draped over all of their laps, Eliot lifts her effortlessly, replaces her hoodie, and carries her to Margo's room, tucking her in before getting in himself, and gesturing to Quentin to do the same, who does, after hesitation. The three of them falling asleep, cuddling Ash.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Penny was floating in pain. Something he didn't think was possible, surrounded by panic, fear and shame. Around him, was white fuzzy nothingness. Which turned into fists and words looming at him, no, not him, a young teenager beside him._

  
" _FOR THE LAST TIME, MAGIC IS NOT REAL, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING, SO SHUT UP YOU DESTRUCTIVE LITTLE BITCH WHO DESTROYS EVERYTHING!"_

_  
Flinching back automatically, he stared as the teen got slapped hard enough that a trickle of blood poured over her lip. _

_  
"But I swear, I did something! It was like magic!"_

_  
The figure advanced, a towering shadow, that stank of oil, grease and ash. It rough-housed her into a standing position, and dragged her over to a laundry area that appeared out of the mist, with one hand it forced her jaw open, and its second hand poured soap powder into her open mouth, closing it again. Penny watched as the figure retched, trying to get the powder out. It was only when soap suds started pouring out her nose was she allowed to rinse her mouth out with water._

  
" _Did you learn your lesson?"_

_  
"Yes, Grampy..."_

  
As in Grandfather? _Penny watched on, unable to leave, as the scene changed, the girl, more grown up, reading in her room, back to the door, smiling, as she reads, little figures dancing around, acting out the scene she is reading. The imposing figure slammed the door open, spying the figures as he does, which dissipate at the sound of the slam._

_  
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING CHILD?!"_

_  
"Nothing! I swear!"_

_  
"Don't raise your voice at me! I took you in, when you killed your brother and mother! I'm all you have left! Treat me with respect!"_

_  
She mumbled something too low for anyone to hear, a moth flies in unnoticed as she does.  
  
"SPEAK UP!"_

_"I said respect has to be earned. And you didn't EARN IT!!!"_

_  
At the last of her words, her head snapped up, her expression full of pain and anguish, a haunted look in her eye. As she launched the last two words as a violent weapon magic exploded out of her, slicing off the hand raised to slap her, before her anger changes, morphing into horror, as with guilt, the hand is reattached._

_  
"Is that how this is going to be? Maybe I should teach you a lesson you won't forget." The figures voice had gone softer, quieter, it sounded almost like the voice Penny had grown up hearing. Unknown to either of them, the lone moth had attached itself to the figure, whose blue eyes glowed bluer, as with a snap of his fingers, the girl was stripped down and tied to the bed._

_  
Penny could see hand shaped bruises on her breasts, hands that matched the ones undressing himself. As he leaned over the tied up vulnerable girl, gagged, and raped her. Violating every portion of her body as he does so. In that one instant, Penny could see her disconnect, surrender, first to the abuse, and then to the magic he could see form the room. He watched, helpless as dark energy gathered, and vaporised the body on her in a poof of red mist, a single moth fluttering around above._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In class the next day, at exactly noon, the whole first year class was frozen. Moths entered, as a man followed, the moths fluttering around his face to obscure it. In a single move, he killed the teacher, then, whistling, he walked around the class, looking for something.

  
"Ashlin, here as I hoped," He paused, giving an exaggerated sniff in her direction, "full of such delicious things."

  
At the sound of a coin dropping, he whipped his head over to, "Quentin Coldwater, ah, there you are, you've been naughty, hiding from me, who do I want first?"

  
He looked between the two students, hand out as Ash starts floating over, her eyes full of panic. The room started to darken, as hi hand wrapped around her throat.

  
"I must say. Thank you to the ones who summoned me, without you, I would never have been able to do this."

  
Before he could start walking towards the Mirror, chaos erupted. Henry Fogg, the Dean managed to enter class, and shoot a single spell at the man, who dropped Ash in a heap, and headed towards Fogg. Penny could read his intentions a mile off, but before he could do anything, with a scream of raw, visceral pain, Ash in a dark, sharp blur, launched herself at him, lightning and a cloud surrounded them, zapping the moths, as she tore into him, before a shockwave from him sent her flying.  
  


"Impressive my dear. You have picked up a few tricks, however, good dogs, need to learn obedience." His fingers blurred into a spell, which he launched at her, ricocheting off a barrier she instinctively threw up.

  
"Obedience has to be earned!" She spat a dark, deadly wad of energy at him, which he swiped back to her, lazily.

  
While this was happening, with the frozen class, Quentin had successfully transferred the watch to his hands and clicked it, allowing time to continue. Everyone raced for the door, taking advantage of the distraction, Quentin and Penny helped Ash up as she winced, before seeing him go for one final spell, she tackled him back into the mirror, shattering it the moment he was through. The last thing he said before leaving being, "Enjoy this present from me."

  
Pain unlike anything she'd ever felt.

  
The magic she had spat at him, had joined with the spell he had shot at her shield, and as a parting gift, had squarely hit her spine, causing a rippling shock of pain to erupt. This shock caused her own magic to explode, much like with the panic ripple, Dean Fogg, Penny, Alice, Kady and Quentin, being the only ones left in the room as her, felt the instant the bolt hit. Pain fried their systems into overload, and the six writhed on the floor, until it was cut, Ash having passed out, a moth burnt directly onto her spine, waves of magic still rippling as she breathed. Alice looked towards the classroom door, something grabbing her attention, and screamed. Eyeballs, from one of their classmates was hanging from the doorway, an echo of the Beast, fading from sight.


End file.
